Cracked Truth
by i-watch-nightmares-come-alive
Summary: AU. When Kit Bae, a popular and well-known criminal lawyer hires the shy and quiet neighbor Chloe Saunders as an after school and weekend babysitter, he has no idea of the chaos he sparked. As two classmates begin digging into the strange phenomena of the house, will they discover a dark history? Sucky summary but please read anyway! R&R. No flames please. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**Soo. While I was searching for new ideas for re-writes (Like Triple the Trouble, which is deleted for the moment ;( ), I found a prompt that I _just had _to write. Fresh ideas, fresh stories, fresh everything! I have people assigned to give me sh*t if I don't update on time. Once I have about three chapters up, that'll give me a rough estimate on how long it will be between updates and about how long the chapters will be. **

**I sorta-kinda have a Beta but she's busy a lot so if anyone would like help out, feel free to PM me or something. **

**ANYWAY, with all that out of the way, THE STORY.**

**I have a majority of the story planned out, but I get really bad writer's block. Like I mentioned, I'm gonna have a rough estimate on updates after I get a few chapters up and I'll stick as close as possible to that schedule. But please excuse if I run a few days late; my classes this year suck ._.**

**Okie dokie! **

_**Darkest Powers belongs to the oh-so amazing Kelley Armstrong. **_

**Alrighty, enjoy the story!**

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**CRACKED TRUTH**

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I kicked the front door with my foot, slamming it shut as I shimmied off my jacket. I kicked my shoes off with the sides of my feet as I called, "Mom, I'm home!"

The house remained silent so, shrugging, I made my way up the champagne-carpeted stairs to my room.

I closed the door, clicking the lock in place for my own privacy, and dropped my purse and sagging book bag on the clothed bench sitting at the foot of my bed. I sat next to the worn book bag and snatched the socks from my feet, throwing them at my hamper. Then, standing up, I made my way to my dresser to change from my dirty school clothes into a comfy pair of night shorts and my favorite hoodie. I placed the wad of clothes into the hamper and retrieved the socks that had missed earlier. After the pair joined the rest of the laundry that needed to be done, I laid back and sprawled across my bed, trying to relax from a hectic Thursday at school.

With my thoughts racing, I didn't realize I was starting to drift asleep until two loud, angry screams rang in my ears, causing me to abruptly jump up and race to the small window on the left side of my room, which faced the small stretch of yard in between my house and the neighbors'.

There, the notoriously named "Twin Terrors" Simon and Tori Bae, were arguing and shouting at each other, both covered in dirt. Presumably, it was the result of falling down which had sparked the fight. The gate which surrounded their yard swung open and a large figure moved toward them, appearing to be scolding them. The two children cast angry glares at each other before picking up their own toys and dragging themselves through the gate. The figure turned quickly and made his way back inside as well.

_Poor Derek, _I thought sympathetically about the eldest, Derek Souza. He was eleven years older than his half-siblings and got wrangled into constantly babysitting. Their father, Mr. Kit Bae, was a well-experienced and popular criminal lawyer that spent a great majority of time preparing for cases. I didn't know what happened to Derek's mother, whom he had taken the name "Souza" from; however, I knew Mr. Bae's second wife, Mrs. Elena Bae, had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer a little too late and passed away a few months later.

That was about all I _did_ know about the Bae-Souza family, and only because Mrs. Bae's passing had left a huge impact on the poor widower.

The family, especially the big, gruff, thick-haired, baggy-clothed, deep-voiced Derek, had always been quiet and mysterious.

I had been in classes with Derek since we were in first grade. My dad, being a successful cardio-thoracic surgeon at the central hospital downtown, and Mr. Bae, an uprising criminal defense lawyer, had gotten along so well. They'd often discuss job techniques, tactics, and other boring things I didn't care about. They'd have "play-dates" between Derek and I, sitting us in the same room and play nicely. And we did; we just hardly spoke. Derek would separate his toys in half and give them to me, then would turn his back and play by himself. But as our dads grew more successful and busy and as we grew up, communication lessened and eventually stopped. Since then, we had just been distant classmates that were always quiet in class and neighbors that normally walked a few feet from each other.

It wasn't that I didn't like Derek Souza; in fact, during our somewhat forced play dates, I enjoyed the fact that he didn't talk my ear off. When we had been assigned lab partners in ninth grade, he rarely talked but he helped my grade by stopping me from making stupid mistakes or by fixing the ones I had made. He never talked in class, but neither did I. He sat in the back corner, nose buried in a text book, lap top, or hard cover book. He seemed to always be studying when finished early with his work. But then again, he had the second highest grade in the school and I'm sure he could surpass Kimi Rodriguez if he wanted to.

I was shaken from my thoughts when I heard my phone chiming. I shut the light purple curtains that hung lazily and rushed to my purse, digging around until I found the phone and answered quickly.

"Hello?"

"_Hello, Chloe? It's Mrs. Reynolds. I was wondering if maybe you could watch the kids for Shane and I tomorrow night. I know it is short notice, and I wouldn't normally bother since it's a church function, but I think our commitment will keep us too late for the little ones."_

"Hi, Mrs. Reynolds," I answered, a small smile spreading across my lips, "I'd love to watch Cameron and Emily tomorrow night. They're so precious and sweet every time."

"_Ha, maybe for you! But thank you so much, dear! Can you be here by six? I promise we won't be home later than ten-thirty! And I know your normal wage, is twelve an hour still okay? We'll have the money before you leave tomorrow."_

"Yup, everything sounds good, Mrs. Reynolds. I'll see you tomorrow! Bye."

"_Okay, Hun. Thanks again. See you tomorrow."_

I hung up the phone and tossed it onto the bed, watching it bounce onto a throw pillow. I walked to my desk in front of the larger window that faced the front of the house and the sun and tapped the touch screen computer monitor. I logged in quickly and opened up my email. I knew it would take a few minutes to refresh, so I decided I'd go downstairs for a snack.

I unlocked and opened my door, making my way down the hallway to the staircase. Maximus, our family golden retriever, darted towards my ankles and almost caused me to fall. I scratched his head and he followed excitedly at my heels as I bounced down the stairs and walked into the kitchen.

I grabbed a dog treat from the jar and threw it to Max, scratching behind his ears and under his chin. Then I walked towards the pantry, trying to find anything to eat.

Mom and Dad were usually working, so it was normally me and the house-keeper, Anita. Anita, a tanned Spaniard that was trying to earn a little extra money to help pay for college classes, was one of my favorite house-keepers; she went grocery shopping more often than the others, she snuck me movies my parents wouldn't normally allow me to add to my collection, and she helped me with anything I asked her to help me with.

Unfortunately for me, Anita had called out for the next two nights to recuperate from the flu, so the pantry would remain empty until Saturday. I grabbed a warm can of coke from the box on the floor and the jar of peanut butter and closed the pantry door. I made my way back up to my room to eat half the jar and drink my coke while watching some newly-acquired horror films.

_**~CRACKED TRUTH~**_

The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. I quickly gathered my stuff and got up. Adjusting my purse, I wasn't paying attention and bumped into someone, causing my text book and binder to fall from my arms and go crashing onto the floor.

"I-I'm so s-sorry," I stuttered, my face turning twenty shades pinker than it had already been. I hated that damn stutter.

Looking up, I had to find bright, emerald green eyes under long strips of dark brown hair that belonged to none other than Derek Souza.

I squatted down to pick up my belongings and hurriedly tried to stand up to get out of the way, which caused me to lose my balance and stumble.

Two hands shot out to grab me, one on my hip and the other on my elbow, before I fell completely. I met the emerald stare before blushing again and collecting myself.

"I-I'm r-really sorry about t-that," I mumbled, clutching my belongings to my chest.

"Don't worry about it," Derek grunted looking away, shoving his hands in his pockets.

I nodded, face still bright, and moved towards the door.

"Chloe?"

I turned to him, watching as his lips turned up in what resembled a smile.

"These might be important," he muttered, amused, as he raised my car keys up.

_**~CRACKED TRUTH~**_

The Reynolds' house was just down the street and around the corner, so I didn't bother wasting the gas to drive.

At 5:55, I knocked on their front door. Cameron, the older of the two, answered the door with an adorable grin.

"Chloe's here, Mama!" he shouted as he grabbed my hand and led me into the house. I pushed the door close and let myself be lead to the living room, where I had sat many times before as I watched the two. I giggled as I saw Emily, a clumsy toddler, waddle over to her little toy house and play there.

Mrs. Reynolds and her husband hurried from down the stairs and over the baby gate.

"Hi, Chloe. Thanks again for coming, we really appreciate it."

I smiled and nodded, responding, "It's really no problem. Emily goes to bed at 7:30 and Cameron at 8. They're so sweet and easy to take care of."

The couple chuckled and moved to say their goodbyes to their children. Then, with a wave, they left and locked the door behind them.

. . . . . . . . .

I was trying to focus on reading the boring economics packets and work in front of me, but my brain refused and my eyes tried to flutter shut. It was close to ten and the two kids were in bed, fast asleep.

I stood up, rubbing my face, and moved to the kitchen to grab some water.

I grabbed a short glass from the light wooden cabinet and moved to the sink. Looking up, I peered out the window into the darkness. There, I swear I saw something dart away before the motion-sensitive flood lights flashed on. I set the glass down and peered around.

Trying to calm my over-active imagination that flipped through every horror movie scenario possible, I flipped the locks on the windows and moved out of the kitchen, checking the backdoor, living room windows, and front door. Everything was locked and the shades were drawn. I let out a slight sigh of relief.

When I first heard a slight _tink_ at the window in the living room, I laughed at myself, applauding my mind for its tricks. However, when it picked up, I felt my chest filling with slight panic. I raced towards the kitchen, where the alarm was, to hit the panic button. However, the lock to the front door clicked and the door opened, Mrs. Reynolds' calling, "Chloe! We're home."

I let out a shaky breath and moved towards the front area of the home.

When Mr. Reynolds saw me, his face twisted in concern. "Chloe, are you okay? You're as pale as a ghost."

Blaming my imagination and rationalizing with myself, I smiled half-heartedly and replied, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just sleepy and a bit chilly."

Mr. Reynolds, though still appearing concerned, nodded. Mrs. Reynolds moved towards me and handed me two twenty dollar bills and a ten. "Thank you so much for the help, dear," she beamed.

"It's never a problem. They were just as good as always," I reported, slipping on my jacket and retrieving my keys from the coffee table. I folded the economics work and shoved it into a pocket inside the jacket.

"Would you like me to walk you home?" Mr. Reynolds offered.

"No, thank you," I declined, "My house is only down the block. I'll be okay."

The couple nodded and Mr. Reynolds answered, "Okay. Be careful Chloe, alright?"

"Thank you guys. Have a good night!" I called as I walked out and shut their front door. I knew they watched me until I was out of sight.

I fumbled with my keys in my pocket as I walked the streetlight-lit sidewalk. The temperature was dropping and I shivered, picking up my pace. My footsteps echoed in the quiet of the night.

And so did someone else's.

_You're still freaked out from earlier, Chloe. You're being a paranoid twit._

I continued to tell myself it was just my mind's tricks and my recent panic that created the sounds, but when I swore I heard them louder, I couldn't help but break into a run. I was a pretty decent sprinter and long-distance runner from different events in track, so I just focused on getting away from the noise.

I was only a few feet away from my driveway when I felt myself suddenly get yanked to the side, behind a large bush that separated my yard from another. A hand clamped over my mouth to prevent screaming. I almost fell completely, but a strong body held me up. Terrified, my blood pumping pure fear through my veins, I looked at my captor and found myself staring at familiar green orbs.

"Shh, Chloe. Trust me," he whispered so low I could barely make out what he said. He pressed himself closer to me, causing me to move further back into the hedge.

Suddenly, everything was silent. I couldn't hear Derek's breathing and I was still trying to catch my breath from having the crap scared out of me. No footsteps, no eerie echoing, nothing.

Derek's hands fell from my waist and he backed up. My hands collapsed to my sides, shaking wildly.

"Are you okay?" He murmured.

I opened my mouth to answer, but words wouldn't come out. I stood there trembling until I forced myself to shrug.

"I'm sorry for grabbing you. I…You shouldn't be out this late by yourself."

"Was someone f-following me?" I asked quietly, still shaken.

Derek didn't answer. Instead, he responded, "It's late, Chloe. You should get inside."

"Was someone following me?"

Derek moved away, grabbing the sleeve to my jacket and lightly tugging me. "Let's go."

We were silent as he pulled me to the front porch. I tried to get the keys out, but was shaking so hard, I ended up dropping them and cursing out loud. Derek looked at me with that semi-amused face from earlier and bent down, grabbing my keys and unlocking the door for me.

"You're not very good at keeping things in your hands," he observed, making my cheeks flame up. I looked down and shook my head, biting my lip.

"Set your alarm tonight, okay? Be safe."

I nodded and met his cautious stare again.

"Thanks, Derek."

He shoved his hands back into his pockets and shrugged. Then he turned and walked down the driveway.

I closed the door, locking all three locks and moved to set the alarm.

Then I went upstairs to my bedroom, setting all my things down. Stripping down completely, I dragged my still-shaking body to my bathroom to shower. With all the adrenaline in my blood, there was no way I was sleeping yet.

When I stepped into the hot stream of clean water, I sighed, feeling all the tension and anxiety fall from my shoulders.

I leaned against the side of the shower, staring at the dark tiles. I closed my eyes and tried to think about all the craziness that had happened in less than an hour. I took a few calming breaths before I opened my eyes and muttered out loud, "What the hell is going on?"

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**Okay, there you have it; Chapter one for Cracked Truth! I really like the ideas I have for this and I hope they'll play out exactly how I see them! **

**I'm currently on spring break and will have school again starting Tuesday, so if I don't have a second chapter up by Sunday or Monday, I'd expect one towards the end of next week (Friday/Saturday).**

**Also: any arising questions about characters should be answered in the next one or two chapters. Feel free to leave questions in your reviews and I should either 1. Answer them in the story or 2. Answer them in my beginning author's note (if it doesn't contain any content that would spoil the story)**

**I'm really pushing to finish this story. Haven't decided how many chapters but I'll let everyone know once we get into the middle/teetering towards the end about how many I'm thinking. **

**Thanks for reading, and please take a little time to Review! It makes my day to read what you guys think and feel about the story.**

**Until next time.**

_**i-watch-nightmares-come-alive**_


	2. Chapter 2

**SORRYSORRYSORRY.**

**ONLY ONE CHAPTER UP AND I'M ALREADY LATE WITH UPDATING. Last Friday I went to an Avett Brothers concert (ahhh they were so fantastic and beautiful) and Saturday I worked a 9-hour shift. I'm usually really busy during the week, so I'll stick to weekend updating. But this chapter sucks so bad so I'll try to update the next chapter like Wednesday or Thursday night. Friday night is my junior prom so if the third chapter isn't up by then, it WILL be by Saturday!**

**~ALSO~ I made a Twitter account for my account (but since I'm currently only working on this fic, that will be the general focus of the tweets.) Follow me to receive information on the story/stories, contact me easier, etc. _nightmare_ff**

**Okay lovelies! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Kelley Armstrong is the creator and owner of this amazing series.**

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**C****HAPTER TWO**

_After I turned the knob for the water, I rested my head against the tiles again, sighing. Now-cold water dripped from the end of my hair to my back, giving me goose bumps. However, I couldn't bring myself to grab the towel and get dressed._

_My naked body shook as the air cooled but I tried to focus on keeping my breathing even._

_Someone was at the house I was babysitting at. Someone was watching me. Someone followed me home. God only knows what would've happened if Derek hadn't been there. Where did they even go afterwards?_

_And Derek! He **spoke** to me! He and I hadn't even spoken since we were science fair contestants in tenth grade. Not only that, he caught me when I stumbled and nearly crashed backwards into the desks. He never spoke, just grunted. I knew he wasn't being rude; he just didn't know or like people and simply responded by nodding his head or grunting in acknowledgment (or casting curious stares-turned-glares). And then there's the stunt last night!_

_My breathing sped up as I sank to the tiled floor. The room was spinning and my chest was getting tight. I started tracing a familiar pattern on my bare thigh as I began humming a song Mom used to sing to me. After a few minutes, I felt okay enough to throw a sports bra, panties, and a pair of sweats on and crawl into bed._

I woke up the next morning after a restless night's sleep. I laid there for who-knows-how-long, a slight headache beating in the back of my head. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to settle my mind that browsed over Derek's different and odd behavior, compared to his usual, routine, everyday behavior.

After the bell sounds, I'd be the one to follow the end of the pack rushing out into the hallway, taking my time with gathering my things while also getting out quick enough so I wasn't run over by other students. Derek was usually so absorbed with his reading or research on his laptop that the bell would be his reminder to pack up. He was always the last one out of class. So why, all of a sudden yesterday, did he try to bolt from class?

I shook my head softly and clenched my jaw. After a minute or two, with my stomach growling, I groaned and threw the covers from my body. I climbed from bed and walked to my dresser to pull a long-sleeved shirt over my sports bra. I yanked the sleeves up to my elbows. As I walked past the mirror, I caught a glimpse of the knotted mess of hair on the top of my head and made a noise thinking of the torture it would be to detangle it later on.

I unlocked my door and went downstairs to eat. But as I got down to the bottom two steps, I heard Mom laughing and talking.

"Mom? I thought you had to work this weekend," I called out, stopping to pet Anita's favorite animal of the house: Mick, a gorgeous calico, who was a mean little princess but oh-so lovable.

"I have to leave in just a second, but can you come out here to the front hall? You have a guest."

I furrowed my eyebrows as I made my way to Mom, deciding the shirt was a good call. I felt curiosity spring into my system with a slow pang of anxiety. Who was asking for _me_?

As I walked into the front hall, I had to physically resist from freezing in my spot. Mr. Bae was standing inside, clothed in a white button-up, nicely pressed black slacks, a light purple tie, the shiniest pair of shoes I've ever seen, and his signature smile that was rumored to disappear as soon as he entered the courtroom.

"Chloe," Mr. Bae greeted, his eyes shining, "Do you mind if I talk to you? I thought coming over and talking would be a lot easier than having Derek try to text for me or calling."

I blinked and responded, "Uh, yeah! Of course."

I decided the shirt was a very good idea.

Mom pulled me close and kissed my temple, before saying, "Alright, I have to go now. Your dad should be home late tonight. Love you!" She left and shut the door, leaving Mr. Bae and I alone.

"Um, we can go talk in the living room, if you'd like. Or the kitchen," I suggested, biting my lip afterwards. Almost immediately after the words left my mouth, my stomach growled embarrassingly loud and my cheeks tinted.

Mr. Bae, however, laughed and said, "Well, it sounds like the kitchen may be a good idea for you."

I nodded with a faint smile tracing my lips, showing him the way into my parents' newly-renovated kitchen. Mr. Bae sat himself down at the small breakfast table and grinned to me. I rubbed my arm and asked, "Would you, uh, like something to drink?"

"No thanks; I think you should get yourself something though. It's ten and you haven't eaten yet!"

I turned quickly to look at the clock and Mr. Bae was right; it was 10:04. I groaned and face palmed, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

"I'm sorry. I promise you I don't usually do or…look like this."

Mr. Bae chuckled. "It's okay Chloe. I have three kids at home that do the same thing."

I nodded and quickly grabbed a granola bar and a water bottle, then sat in the seat across the table from Mr. Bae.

"Actually, my kids are the reason I'm here right now."

Chewing, I looked to the man with a curious expression drawn across my face.

"I was talking to your father last week and he was informing me you lost your job about two months ago."

I blushed and nodded, swallowing my bite of the bar.

"He also clued me in that you have been picking up a few babysitting gigs since then. So I have a proposition for you."

I raised an eyebrow, but nodded, urging him to continue.

"As you know, my job is very demanding of me, and as much as I hate it, I don't get to care for the kids a lot. Both of my previous wives are…gone and Derek is put into a crappy position that, because he is the eldest, he is their 'nanny'. The twins by themselves are gigantic handfuls, and together…well, there's a reason Derek calls them Twin Terrors. I was wondering if I could interest you in working for me, helping Derek with Simon and Tori. After school, until I get home, and at least one day a weekend. I know it's a lot to ask of you, but I would definitely pay you for your hard work and it wouldn't hurt Derek to have a helping hand."

I considered the opinion in my head carefully. I didn't think of Tori and Simon to be complete "terrors"; they were young children who fought. Mr. Bae told me that he'd pay me well and I believed it. The only thing that I wasn't sure about was "helping Derek out". He and I rarely talked, but that pattern had begun to change.

"Yeah…okay. Yeah," I nodded, meeting his eyes, "Sounds good."

Mr. Bae's face lit up as he answered, "You will? That's great!"

I smiled brightly, seeing how happy I had made him with my answer.

"I know your normal rate is $10-12 an hour, so I'll pay you about the same, if that's alright."

I nodded.

"Okay! Would you be able to start Monday?" He asked, somewhat more hesitant. It faded away when I nodded again.

He dug through his pants pockets, searching for something, before apparently remembering where it was, reaching into his breast pocket and pulling out a small envelope. "Inside is the house key," he explained, sliding it to me, "Just in case Derek isn't home when you're ready to go over. The only reason he shouldn't be there is because he's getting the twins from their bus stop, which drops them off towards the back end of the street close to 4:30."

I mentally jotted the information down and Mr. Bae grinned widely.

"Thank you so much, Chloe. It means a lot and will definitely help Derek."

"It's really no problem, Mr. Bae," I answered, the two of us getting up and I walked ahead to get the door for him.

He hummed in amusement and said, "Please, just call me Kit. And thank you for your time. I'll see you on Monday, after I get home, I suppose?"

I nodded and we said goodbyes before I shut the door.

~CRACKED TRUTH~

I had spent the afternoon cleaning, cleaning out the DVR, and relaxing. Once I started my job with the Bae-Souza family, I had a feeling "relaxation" wouldn't be so easy to come by.

I sat out on the back deck, laying out in a tank top and shorts reading. The weather was clear and not humid and warm and I was going to enjoy it as long as possible.

I doze on and off for close to an hour before I got up and decided to try to cook again. I had attempted to make a small steak earlier but I was no cook like Anita was. And unfortunately for me, the housekeeper wouldn't be back until tomorrow morning.

However, as I got up, I felt my stomach twist uncomfortably. I tried to ignore it, but it churned and clenched again. I slapped my hand over my mouth and took off for the trash cans on the side of the house. I barely made it in time before I threw up my stomach's contents into the open bag.

Once I was done, I crashed down to my knees and slumped over, my arms wrapped around my torso. I was shaking and coughing and didn't realize someone was next to me until I felt a hand on my back.

"Are you okay?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of the voice. I couldn't draw the energy to look at the person beside me, but I recognized the voice I was beginning to hear more often.

"'M fine," I whispered back, turning my head so he wouldn't have to look.

Derek's hand relaxed on my back as he rubbed tiny circles. "You sure?"

"Yeah," I answered, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand before trying to stand. I got light-headed and stumbled, Derek quickly grabbing my arm to steady me.

"Don't seem it."

I rolled my eyes and responded, "Just some bad cooking on my part. I'll be okay." Derek's grip didn't loosen.

"Derek."

"I'll take you inside, okay?"

"Wh-"

"Dad doesn't need his new babysitter falling, hitting her head, and bleeding out alone at home."

I blushed and let Derek tug me into the house. I pointed him to where my room is and, feeling thankful I had just put all my bras in their drawer, allowed him to gently push me back on the bed to lie down. He stood by the door awkwardly, hands shoved into his pockets.

"Try to sleep. Drink lots of water. Tylenol might help. Try to keep down some crackers and bre-"

"What were you doing outside? Where are the twins?" I asked, interrupting his instructions, "And better yet, will you explain what happened last night?"

Derek clenched his jaw and avoided my eyes.

"Derek? Please don't ignore me…" I murmured, a shiver rocking my body.

"I was outside because I was picking up some of the twins' toys they left out there. The gate was open and I saw you bolt, so I got curious. That's when I saw you and wanted to see if you were okay."

He shifted weight from one side to the other and rubbed the back of his neck.

"What about last night?"

"Rest, Chloe. Okay?"

I sat up. "But-"

"Chloe," he said in a strict tone, "You don't need to be worked up right now."

I sat back against the pillows and crossed my arms over my chest, pouting angrily.

"Ask me Monday," he sighed, "When the twins are distracted or once they're in bed. And I'll tell you what I know."

My pout dropped and I saw Derek's lips twitch almost to a grin.

"So Monday, I guess if you just want to follow me home…" Derek muttered, making it difficult for me to hear.

"You drive?" I asked, making myself comfortable in bed.

"Uh…not a car, no," he answered quietly, leaning back against the door frame, "I, uh, have my motorcycle."

"Oh. Okay. That's cool."

Derek snorted and dropped his arms.

"I guess you should go check on Simon and Tori before they kill each other," I laughed and Derek snorted again.

"Yeah. Rest up, and see you Monday."

I waved as I watched Derek leave my room and a few moments later, I heard the glass backdoor slide shut.

Having lost my appetite after throwing up my day's worth of food, I decided to watch a movie while taking it easy. And while I tried to focus, I couldn't stop my mind from wondering to Monday's new job and the story I would learn. I never thought I would hear myself say it, but I couldn't wait for Monday.

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**There's your sucky chapter two for you. Sorry it's so short and bad. I promise you the next chapter will be longer and better!**

**I'm working two days this week, I have prom Friday, and tomorrow I will be busy modeling for my friend's photography project. However, Wednesday should be pretty laid back so I'll try to write and update or at least get a huge chunk written.**

**Follow me on twitter _nightmare_ff and tweet me any comments or questions, things you'd like to see, etc.! I'll be tweeting info about my story and I will give more details soon about my rewrites!**

**Okay! Please Review Lovelies :) It makes me extremely happy to see you all enjoy the story so much. **

**Until next time.**

_**i-watch-nightmares-come-alive**_


	3. Chapter 3

**I'M SO SO SO SO SORRY. There are so many reasons I haven't updated, like no access to a computer, my cell phone breaking, testing at school, and many personal problems. I know they are shitty excuses but it really has given me no opportunity to get to a computer. I'm so so so sorry.**

**I'll just get right to it. **

**This chapter was meant to be long. It still kinda is, but I shortened it to get it up and maybe make you all not hate me as much. Next chapter will be up before the 7th, I promise! **

**Okay. Enough waiting. Read and enjoy!**

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_**CHAPTER THREE:**_

The weekend had gone by much too quickly, and before I knew it, I was slamming the off button on my annoying, blaring alarm clock. I groaned and pulled the covers tightly over my head. My mind was still on snooze until I had gotten out of bed and gotten into the shower.

Today, I was starting my new "job" for Mr. Bae. Every day, for multiple hours, I'd be with Derek who, until recently, had been distant and I believed hated me. Things were changing quickly.

I finished soaping up, rinsed, and shut off the water.

I stepped out of the shower onto the clean tile and my foot slipped in puddle from the shower curtain. I fell backwards and reached to grab anything. I got my hands on the edge of the tub, feeling my ankle throb. I sighed and let myself steady for moment before standing straight. I winced as I placed weight on it and sighed again, feeling my day begin to tumble downwards.

I limped from the bathroom into my room where sunlight shone from behind the curtains, towel wrapped securely around my body. As I shuffled around looking for clothes in my closet and dresser, there was a knock on the door.

"Chica, you doing okay? I thought I heard some noise earlier and wanted to see if you were alright," Anita's concerned and accented voice called from the hallway.

"Yeah, yeah," I answered, "Just slipped."

"Oh honey, let me get you a wrap so it doesn't swell or hurt too much," Anita laughed.

"Just leave it out there; still naked in here."

Anita's loud laughter echoed down the hallway as she went to get the ace bandage.

I pulled on my clothes quickly and was fixing my shirt when Anita knocked again.

"You can come in; I'm decent."

Anita walked in and pointed to my bed. "Sit Cariño, let me wrap it for you."

I pushed myself onto the bed carefully and laid my left ankle on Anita's lap so she could wrap it.

"What am I going to do with you?" she mumbled as she worked before she began humming and singing in Spanish. Once it was wrapped nice and snug, she patted my knee and smiled.

"There you go, honey."

"Thanks, Anita," I grumbled, rubbing the throbbing area.

She leaned over and kissed my forehead and rubbed my shoulder. "No problem. Now, finish getting ready for school. Your breakfast will be done when you come down."

I cautiously moved around my room, fixing my hair, back pack and purse before heading downstairs.

I had to bite my tongue and grit my teeth as I went down each step. The animals, seeming to sense my pain, didn't dart in front of me or make the task more difficult.

Anita had in a nice brown bag an egg, bacon, and cheese biscuit with a thermos of hot chocolate and a large metal water bottle filled with sweetened tea. On a napkin sat two small ibuprofen pills for me to take to decrease the pain and swelling.

"God, I love you Anita," I whispered, smiling as I lifted the pills to my mouth and took a sip of the tea.

I made my way to the front and out the door, calling out my goodbye to Anita and turned the key to lock the door. Then, I moved to the car, placed everything in the backseat, and got in myself. Buckling myself, I turned the ignition and backed from the driveway.

I flipped through multiple stations trying to find anything worth listening to when there was a beep over the audio and it went silent. I kept my eyes on the road but my mind was curious as to what happened. It remained silent for a moment or two before the barely-audible scratch of static could be heard. It didn't annoy me at first, but as I drove, the sound got louder and louder. I tried to turn the dial for volume, but the noise didn't decrease. It grew into an almost painful buzz and groan. I stopped at a light and stared at the radio for a moment. Suddenly, I heard voices from behind the static.

Thinking that the radio was coming back in, I cranked the dial to MAX and listened, hoping the odd sounds would stop. Instead, I felt a shiver climb up my spine and wrack my entire body as I heard a nearly-silent cry. Against the feeling of my gut, I continued to listen to the growing cry. The light turned green and I continued down the busying road.

"Chloe…HELP!"

The voice shrieked suddenly and being so distracted, I almost ran a stop sign. I slammed on the brakes and my wheels squealed, everything in the car flinging forward only to be slammed back.

A semi-truck zoomed past and blew its horn, the driver's face a mixture of "Are you okay?" and "Are you insane?"

The car was silent as I sat clutching the wheel, my body stiff and taut. My knuckles were white by the time I finally eased off the brake and continued on my way to school.

My head was pounding and spinning as I pulled into the school parking lot. Once my car was parked and the engine was off, I let out strangled sigh. I didn't know what to think about what had just happened.

I was glad I hadn't eaten yet; it might have ended up outside my car if I had.

I walked into school shaking, pale, and more than a little freaked out.

I shuffled to my locker, trying to slow my heart rate. As I was switching books and re-organizing the locker, my friend Liz skipped over and smiled brightly.

"Hiya!"

"Hey, Liz," I answered, not glancing over to her.

"Hey Chloe, look at my new sweatshirt Mom bought me!"

I peered quickly at the gray sweatshirt with a cute patterned Minnie Mouse sewn into the middle. I chuckled.

"Cute, Liz."

"Isn't it? I love it! Mom ordered me some new giraffe socks so I hope they'll come in soon! I'm excited to show them off and- Hey, are you alright?"

I shut the locker door and adjusted the thermos in my hands.

"Yeah…why?"

"Your knees are shaking and you have absolutely no color in your face. What happened?"

Liz's bubbly, happy excitement melted away and she stopped in front of me.

Knowing Liz would never let me move until I told her, I sighed and muttered, "Just a weird weekend, paired with a weirder morning."

Liz raised an eyebrow and I sighed again.

"I babysat on Friday night and I…swear someone followed me home and my neighbor, of all people, was the one to basically walk me home. And now I have a new job, with his dad, and I hurt my ankle and…I almost got into an accident with a semi this morning."

"WHAT?" Liz yelled, arms shooting out at her sides.

I shot her a threatening glare and her shoulders dropped as she blinked and stared at me apologetically.

"So…what? Were you tired and just…almost hit one?"

I opened my mouth to speak but closed it again.

What did happen this morning? And did I really want to tell Liz?

I glanced up to meet Liz's extremely fixated stare when I caught another pair of eyes staring at me from down the hallway.

Uneasy, emerald orbs met dark aqua and when I blinked, Derek turned to his locker, emptied his arms, shut the door, and walked away.

"Earth to Chloe!" Liz waved a hand near my face, "What happened?"

"I…I guess I picked up a weird frequency on the radio, got distracted, and almost ran a busy intersection stop sign."

Liz slumped a little and let out her breath. "That's scary."

I nodded as I opened the thermos to take a sip.

The two-minute warning bell rang over our heads and I said my goodbye to Liz, heading off to my statistics class.

_**~CRACKED TRUTH~**_

I made my way out into the parking lot after a majority of the students cleared out for the day. I took my time talking and saying bye to Liz. Really, I just didn't want to drive again so soon.

I got to my car, searching through my bag for my keys. I was balancing books in one arm and searching with the other.

"Chloe."

I jumped and my bag slid from my shoulder, slamming onto the concrete. One book slipped from my grip and joined my bag on the damp ground. I closed my eyes, trying to even my breathing, pain aching in my ankle.

"Derek, seriously, you need to wear a bell or something to tell people you're close by."

He grimaced as I bent to pick up everything. "Sorry," he mumbled, his hands retreating to his pockets.

"I'll be at your house in like half an hour. I just wanna go drop off my books at my house and change."

Derek shook his head. I raised my eyebrow.

"What?"

"You okay?"

I rolled my eyes.

"If I had a dollar for every time I'd been asked that in the past couple days…"

"Chloe," he said, his tone low and urgent, "I'm serious. About this morning-"

"How'd you hear about this morning?"

"Liz is loud."

I scowled as I tried to think of how he heard from Liz.

"Chloe," he hissed.

"Yes. I am fine. I should've been paying more attention to the road."

Derek, obviously displeased with my answer, grew silent.

"I'm alright," I insisted, my gaze dropping to the floor.

Derek grunted.

I blinked, and when I looked up, Derek had turned and started to walk away.

I sighed and hoped that he wouldn't be grumpy when I got to his house; I'd need a lot of help when it came to Tori and Simon later.

_**~CRACKED TRUTH~**_

I sucked in a big breath as I approached the front door. It was just before 4, so Derek would be the only one home at the moment.

I froze, wondering if I should knock or use the key or just open the door.

After a long moment of hesitation, I raised my fist and tapped my knuckles against the door.

I stood awkwardly, watching a spider crawl across the brick, until the door swung open. I was not expecting what I was met with.

Derek was wearing a blue T-shirt that accented his body and a pair of sweatpants. I never thought Derek was…large, per say, but the clothes he wore never distinguished what kind of shape he had. I had no idea he worked out or had such a nice body. I had to resist staring.

"Hi," I squeaked, turning my phone in my hand.

He grunted.

Derek pushed the door open wider and motioned for me to come in.

I followed Derek into the living room, limping slightly from earlier, and watched him crash onto the couch.

"'S wrong with you?" Derek asked me, one eyebrow raised.

"I was born with accident-prone genes."

He snorted.

I took in the area. In front of Derek, laid across the coffee table, seemed to be research for some type of project.

"What are you working on?" I asked, sitting awkwardly on the edge of the leather recliner.

He grumbled in response, "Nothin' important."

I understood the cue to drop the subject and looked around the room, plagued by the stillness and silence.

Derek seemed to sense my uncomfortableness as he sighed and pushed a small journal near me.

"You're gonna get bored," he said all matter-of-factly. I perked up and sat on the floor, pulling the small book closer to me.

My eyes scanned the busy pages curiously as I took in everything Derek had written. They were messily-scribed notes, but as I continued reading, it all seemed fictional.

"What's your project on again?" I mumbled as I turned the page.

"Something weird I heard of. Just…some old myths and lore."

I read a few more pages as Derek sat stiff and watched my reactions. Then I passed the book back, a smile on my lips. "It's interesting stuff. I loved reading fiction and myth books when I was younger."

He grunted as his eyes scanned another book, possibly from the library.

I unlocked my phone and played a game of solitaire. When the cute digital fireworks and YOU WON flashed across the screen, Derek stood and gathered his things.

"I gotta go wait at the Twins' bus stop."

I nodded and fidgeted awkwardly.

He got as far as the door before stopping and turning.

"You comin'?"

I scrambled from the ground and followed him, promptly closing the door behind me.

We walked in silence down the block, Derek staring straight ahead while I counted the cracks in the sidewalk.

However, I realized that the twins would be home soon and my time to talk to Derek about everything was dwindling, getting smaller and smaller.

I cleared my throat and started, "So…uh."

"The other day, right?"

I nodded and he grunted, a 'Yeah, I figured' look covering his face.

"What happened? I mean, how did you know? Where did they go? Who was it?"

Derek tossed me an annoyed look and I smiled apologetically.

"Okay. Just…start with how you knew."

He was silent as we stopped at the corner of the street.

It seemed like an eternity passed before he muttered, "I…I don't exactly know."

I opened my mouth to protest but he raised his eyebrow and I zipped my mouth shut.

"I didn't know. It was…instinct. My gut told me there was something wrong."

My gaze lifted from the ground to Derek's eyes that met with mine, the dark green glazed in confusion.

He continued. "It didn't feel right. And when I went outside…it only got worse. Then… I heard running, panting. I looked from the porch and I… I don't know what I saw. But there was you and something else. So I grabbed you. And I was ready to take out anything else. But it never came. Then there was silence."

I blinked and looked away.

"What about this morning?"

I laughed nervously and rubbed my hands together, shivering at the memory.

"The radio…must've malfunctioned."

I didn't have to look at Derek to see his glare.

"Okay, okay. I… The radio was being weird. Went silent then to static, then the static became almost deafening. And…there were voices. I thought it was music or even a radio show. But…it screamed my name and for help. I almost hit a semi I was so scared and taken by surprise."

"Jeez."

An old, worn yellow bus trudged down the road.

"We can continue later. Dad usually runs late on Mondays."

I nodded and Derek and I stood side by side, waiting for the Twins, the two of us plagued by the new information.

* * *

**Allllllrighty! There's chapter three :)**

**I really liked this chapter and I hope you all do too!**

**Just drop me a little review and lemme know what you all think! Believe it or not, those bad boys make my day and motivates me more and more :)**

**Okay. Part two to this chapter will be up soon, R! Just hang in there with me and be patient and I promiseeee I'll stay on track.**

**Much love. Tweet or ask questions in the reviews!**

**Until next time.**

_**i-watch-nightmares-come-alive**_


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